I work in Jo’burg city centre and just spent the last hour or so parking off on the steps of the building watching the strikers going by. All very civil, and in groups of around 50 apiece - seperated by union leaders and bored looking cops. Each group singing beautifully in tune taking up from the group ahead of them, asking for a translation from my (black) boss next to me, she started giggling and told me that she cannot repeat such horrible swear words to me, and that in effect they’re swearing at Zuma.
What I thoroughly enjoyed though, was the handmade posters and slogans e.g.
“I cannot afford 1 wife, but SOME has 20…”
“We’re eating bread while Zuma is navigating chopsticks in China”
“One million Rand car is 10 salaries a year”
a favourite was a Progress Report - complete with the newfangled “Achieved/Partially Achieved/Not Achieved” sections, (kids cant fail anymore), and of-course in this instance, government has not achieved anything thus far.
i say this often to anyone who will listen.
i have a huge problem with politicians living the high life. i would imagine, that if you are planning to go into politics, then you should do it coz you are passionate aobut people, not cash.
i doubt very much any of them are still in it for the people’s wellfare.
and i totally feel those people’s anger and pain, maybe not so much because im not dependant on the government for a living, but it irks me to no end, that politicans and people in power, drive these shiny cars, live in huge houses, go on lavish state paid holidays/games/events. and some poor woman is sitting in tembisa, working herself into a standstill to support her mother,sister.aunt, their kids, her kids… and i totally agree that the money spent on excessive salaries for these people, is very much the property of the people. it is, after all, OUR tac money paying for all that.
it pains me greatly that the money i work my ass off for, is being misspent, ‘lost’, and is being used to pay salaries to people, who are NOT doing their jobs. if they were, then our crime wouldnt be insane, our roads would be in one piece, etc etc etc.
im sure im preaching to the choir here.
people are gatvol. and not just the whites anymore.
You have the right to strike. You do not have the right to intimidate, break property and behave like a lunatic with the rest of the mob. The union clearly demonstrated that they can not control their members. Please pass a law that no crowds more than 10 are allowed on the street and enforce said law. Can these employers not fire them and employ the unemployed if an agreement is not reached? School kids won’t know the difference - these teachers, that behave like this, are not good teachers anyway. The same for nurses and the rest. You want more money, you find a job that pay you more. Enough good people leave and the marked-price for your service will increase.
I lost R80 000 with the world cup and now this. I am not a fan of soccer and definitely not a union man.
i have a theory,
why dont the unions, or govament, or whoever, place a law, that restricts salary negotiations to a specific time of year, say, a month after year end. then, and only then, then unions throw toys, strike, within limits of course.
if they want to talk money, you do it then. that is your window. if you throw toys at any other time of the year, cheers, pink slip for you.
and then, lets make it a time of year when we are not hosting world cups, or kids are writing matric exams.
i agree that we have a right to fight for a living wage, but surely, there needs to be some manner of control?
Their wages are shoddy, and I fully understand and support their call for alignment, however, as Tweefo mentioned, I cannot condone violence and intimidation. Ultimately government should relook structures and pay in all the essential services areas. I most certainly will not work in an environment where I feel unappreciated and underpaid, regardless of how essential my efforts are. I too, have a family to feed and a life to live.
I think we’re witnessing a struggle for something more that wages…the tripartite alliance is fundamentally flawed and unsustainable. Cosatu has always had the upper hand in mobilising the masses and the ANC has needed this during elections. Vavi is being touted in certain quarters as the next President! The two parties are now opposing each other and fundamental differences are emerging. We may see an emerging Labour Party which will seriously threaten the ANC!
It’s really getting out of hand. I follow a nurse (http://www.twitter.com/AndyWandy) on twitter who works at one of Joburg hospitals. They have defense force patrolling outside, and are apparently on shoot at will orders.
And “Strikers told a fellow nurse that they are going to kill people working today. Oh boy. :/”, so it might be necessary.
My children’s Grandpa (on my ex’s side) collapsed during the night. Gran called the paramedics who came fairly quickly. They said they couldn’t take him to hospital because of the strikes. WTF??? People’s lives are being threatened because the people in our society who chose a profession in care-giving have stopped giving care. Makes me sick (luckily not the kind of “sick” that would require their help).